Cleansing of the Sanctuary
The eighth chapter of Daniel gives us an account of a vision seen by the prophet in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. We need not go outside of the chapter for explanation. First, the prophet is shown the Two Universal Kingdoms that were to follow the Kingdom of Babylon, Medes-Persia and Grecia, and the line of events which follows the rise of Grecia before another Universal Kingdom comes upon the stage of action; therefore Rome, the next Universal Empire in the order of time, is not even so much as mentioned in this chapter, and none of the Horns could possibly represent Rome.
From chapter eight to the end of Daniel, the prophecy, even though it concerns the Gentiles, is occupied with human history as it relates to Israel. First, Daniel seven is a broad summary of the time of the Gentiles, with emphasis on the climactic events culminating in the second coming of Christ to the earth. Beginning in chapter eight, Daniel’s second vision concerns the Empire of Persia and Greece as they relate to Israel. Under Persian government, Israelites went back to rebuild their land and their city, Jerusalem. Under Grecian domination, in particular under Antiochus Epiphanies, the city and the temple were again desolate. Daniel chapter nine presents the history of Israel from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah to the inauguration of the Kingdom from Heaven at the second coming of Christ immediately preceded by the time of great trouble for Israel. Chapter ten and eleven reveal the events relating the Persian and Greek Empires to Israel, with emphasis on the Gentile oppression of Israel. The final chapters deal with the end of this age, the period of the revived Roman Empire, and the deliverance of Israel.
This prophecy of Daniel was given to him in 553 B.C., and the prophecy of chapter nine was given in 538 B.C. “Then one of the saints, (angels), said, how long shall be the vision concerning the Daily Sacrifice, and the Transgression of Desolation?” “And he said, unto two thousand and three hundred days, (evening and morning), then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,” (Daniel 8:13-14). The 2300 days is God’s time for this oppressor to work, climaxing in “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
Daniel, in his vision, finds it necessary to portray the two horns representing the two major aspects of the Mede and Persians, and is very accurate, as the Persians comes up last and represents by the higher horn: the more prominent and powerful. There is no discrepancy between history, which records a series of battles, and Daniel’s representation that the Persian Empire fell with one blow.
Now we come to some questions. When was this to become a fact of history, and who was to be the oppressor that would do the treading down of the sanctuary and the host, and by whom and how was this cleansing done? To get the answers we must study the vision as given and explained in this chapter.
The eighth chapter of Daniel gives us an account of a vision seen by the prophet in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. Daniel finds it necessary to define in particular the location of this city: Shushan by the river Ulai (Daniel 8:1-2), which was to be the capital of Persia, the home of Esther, (Esther 1:2), and the city from which Nehemiah came to Jerusalem. This unusual setting described in detail by Daniel in the opening verses of the eighth chapter now become the stage on which a great drama is portrayed in symbol describing the conquests of the second and third empire.
This vision was given while Babylon was the major kingdom. But in this vision God started out with a preview of the history of the kings of Medes and Persia. This Ram represented the Medes-Persian Empire (Daniel 8:20). Daniel, in his vision, sees this Ram with two horns (Daniel 8:3-4), which are unequal, one higher than the other, and the higher one growing out of the Ram last. As Daniel watches, he sees the Ram pushing westward, northward, and southward; no other beast is found to stand before the Ram nor was anyone, whether man or beast, able to deliver from his power. The Persians coming up last and represented by the higher horn were also the more prominent and the most powerful. This pictures the main direction of conquest in spreading out his great dominion. The Medes at first, but many of the conquest were by the Persians, who established the largest Empire that the world had ever known.
The rough goat is the king, kingdom, of Grecian (Daniel 8:21), and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Nations rise and fall according to the will and decree of God, in this prophecy given in 553 B.C. Daniel is given a preview of the rise and conquest of the Grecian Empire under the leadership of Alexander the Great. “He touched not the Ground.” This pictures the speedy and complete conquests of Alexander’s army over the Ram as they advanced from the west taking all as they went. A furious and determined attack on the Ram is foretold here. “There was no power in the Ram to stand before him.” At the age of 24 years, in B.C. 331, Alexander was King of the Greatest Empire on earth at that time. Alexander’s conquest of the great Persian Empire was quick and complete and they were found no more.
The campaign of Alexander the Great, the first Grecian king to hold the scepter of universal empire, was so swift that the world still looks with amazement at the records of his bold raids. In B.C. 334, Alexander was only a little over twenty-one years old, invaded Persia and was victorious. One year later he held sway over all the Persian Empire. He goats came against the ram, and break his two horns (Daniel 8:5-7).
In B.C. 334, Alexander, when only a very young man invaded Persia and was victorious; thus became ruler of the then known world in the short space of six years. So rapid had been his triumphs and marches that, when he died in the year 323 B.C., after twelve years of conquest and tyranny, he left neither capital established nor a successor’s name. God foretold the death of Alexander and the Division of his Kingdom. In the height of his power, Alexander died at the age of 32. The empire fell apart, the great horn was broken (Daniel 8:8), and instead four monarchs rising out of the ruins came up. These four horns, or kingdoms, represent the same as the leopard in Daniel 7:6. These four kingdoms are counted as part of the Grecian Kingdom and history. The four heads of Daniel 7:6 were part of that beast, and the four horns of Daniel 8:8,22 were “four kingdoms” that were to stand up “out of the nations” of Grecian. The great horn between the eyes of the He Goat is broken just when the He Goat has reached the pinnacle of its strength; that horn was Alexander the Great. They, the four kings came up out of the “He Goat” to replace the ruler of that great horn, Alexander (Daniel 8:22).
The little horn came out of one of the divisions of Alexander’s kingdom after he died (Daniel 8:9-10). From one of the four kingdoms into which Alexander’s kingdom, Grecian, was divided, there would spring up this ambitious and persecuting power, and as this power answers so fully and accurately to the work of Antiochus Epiphanies, there can be no question as to the entirety of events brought out in Daniel’s vision. “A King of Fierce Countenance shall stand up.” This king or ruler was to stand up “in the latter time” of these four kingdoms. This Horn is a wicked ruler, coming into power.
This Horn, small in the beginning, was to grow exceeding great in three directions: toward the south, toward the east and toward the pleasant land. The “pleasant land” is referring to Jerusalem (Psalm 48: 2).
The land of Israel indeed became the battleground between Syria and Egypt, and the setting of some of Antiochus Epiphanies’ most significant blasphemous acts against God (Daniel 11:28), the host of heaven. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force (Daniel 11:25). He is pictured as “casting some of the Host and Stars to the ground and stamping upon them.” This prophecy relates to the persecution and destruction of the people of God with its defiance of the angelic host who are their protectors, including the Power of God Himself. Antiochus blasphemed God and heavenly power as well as persecuting the people of Israel, the people of God. This is all too evident from history. The Stars are intended to symbolize the faithful Israelites. This persecution and destruction of Jerusalem and the temple ended on Dec. 25, 168 B.C.
Antiochus opposition against God himself and to this extent magnified himself against God as well as reaching toward the glory and honor belonging to God. His supreme act manifesting this attitude is stated that he took away the daily offerings and desecrated the sanctuary (Daniel 8:11-12). Antiochus stopped the morning and evening sacrifice, taking away from God what were a daily token of Israel’s worship; all the offerings customarily offered in the temple services had ceased. The people of Israel were under his power with divine permission. All this happened to Israel because of their sin and transgression and because they had departed from the God of their fathers. The people of Israel along with their worship are given over to the power of Antiochus Epiphanies with the resulting transgression and blasphemy against God.
The Host being trodden down here are the Jewish people, and the “sanctuary” that was trodden “under foot” was a place set apart. The tabernacle and later the temple at Jerusalem was God’s sanctuary, as the scriptures clearly teaches. To Daniel the “sanctuary” meant the Temple in Jerusalem. He would understand that the sanctuary trodden under foot and to be cleansed was that same temple and its services. And how long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice? It would be 2300 days (Daniel 8:13-14).
With the entire vision recorded and, to some extent, already interpreted, Daniel now enters into active participation in the vision and sought for the meaning; and in response to his desire, a personage stood before him described “as the appearance of a man,” but obviously an angel. The angel Gabriel is mentioned specifically (Luke 1:19), and a man’s voice is addressed to Gabriel to instruct Daniel in understanding the vision. The man’s voice may be that of Christ. Daniel is afraid, and falls on his face. The words of Gabriel are reassuring, and he instructs Daniel, using the title “Son of Man,” and then Gabriel made known to Daniel when this indignation, righteous anger, would come to an end (Daniel 8:15-19). God, in His righteous anger was using for His corrective purposes the tyranny of Antiochus the Syrian king in the chastening of Israel. Gabriel made Daniel stand up and begin a further explanation concerning the time of the end, making clear his intention to let Daniel know “what shall be in the last end of the indignation.”
The Ram is in fact Media and Persia that are regarded as one empire. The He Goat described as “rough” or shaggy; called “the king of Grecian,” is an obvious reference to the kingdom as a whole, as the great horn between its eyes is identified as the first king, “Alexander the Great” (Daniel 8:20-22). The four kingdoms represented by the four horns replaced the great horn that was broken is identified as four kingdoms arising from the nation of Greece. They are described as not having the power of the great horn.
Antiochus Epiphanies fulfilled every detail of the prophecy of the Little Horn, or king of fierce countenance and his works of a ruthless king in Jerusalem and Judea (Daniel 8:23-24). Antiochus 1V of Syria in Judea felt himself frustrated by the strong national feeling of the people and especially by the Jewish religion. So, in 168 B.C., he ordered the Jews to denounce their worship for that of the Greeks, and he even dedicated to Zeus the holy temple, which Solomon had built to Jehovah.
They were forced under penalty of death to offer swine’s flesh in sacrifice to the heathen Greek gods. The Jews were forbidden to circumcise their children under a death penalty. Some obeyed out of fear, while many refused and were murdered. Antiochus did tread down the host, or Jewish people, in his attempt to destroy the worship of Jehovah and make the Jews worship other Greek gods. All of this lasted a little over three years and being most severe while it lasted.
With two sacrifices a day, one in the evening and one in the morning, they would make 2,300 sacrifices, making a total of 1,150 days, then the sacrifices would cease, “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” “He shall be broken without hands.” This was fulfilled too. God smote him and he died of a disease after the defeat of his army in Judea.
This led to a revolt under the Maccabees and after much suffering Antiochus’ army was defeated, and the sanctuary, or temple, cleansed. True worship was restored in the temple. All was repaired and cleansed, a new alter was built, gates, doors, courts, chambers were renewed, and new vessels were finished, and on Dec. 25, 165 B.C. the temple was once more dedicated to the service of the God of Israel. This memorable date became a national holiday ever after, known in Christ’s time as the Feast of Dedication, but today is now called the Feast of Lights or Hanukkah.
The emphasis of the eighth chapter of Daniel is on prophecy as it relates to Israel; and for this reason the little horn is given prominence both in the vision and in the interpretation. I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it (Daniel 8:27).
The times of the Gentiles, although not entirely a period of persecution of Israel, often resulted in a great trial to them. Of the four great world empires anticipated by Daniel, only the Persian Empire was relatively kind to the Jews. Gabriel made it plain that the vision will not become immediately understandable to Daniel and that its fulfillment will occupy many days. King Nebuchadnezzar made him (Daniel) ruler over the whole province of Babylon (Daniel 2:48).
The eighth chapter of Daniel gives us an account of a vision seen by the prophet in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. We need not go outside of the chapter for explanation. First, the prophet is shown the Two Universal Kingdoms that were to follow the Kingdom of Babylon, Medes-Persia and Grecia, and the line of events which follows the rise of Grecia before another Universal Kingdom comes upon the stage of action; therefore Rome, the next Universal Empire in the order of time, is not even so much as mentioned in this chapter, and none of the Horns could possibly represent Rome.
From chapter eight to the end of Daniel, the prophecy, even though it concerns the Gentiles, is occupied with human history as it relates to Israel. First, Daniel seven is a broad summary of the time of the Gentiles, with emphasis on the climactic events culminating in the second coming of Christ to the earth. Beginning in chapter eight, Daniel’s second vision concerns the Empire of Persia and Greece as they relate to Israel. Under Persian government, Israelites went back to rebuild their land and their city, Jerusalem. Under Grecian domination, in particular under Antiochus Epiphanies, the city and the temple were again desolate. Daniel chapter nine presents the history of Israel from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah to the inauguration of the Kingdom from Heaven at the second coming of Christ immediately preceded by the time of great trouble for Israel. Chapter ten and eleven reveal the events relating the Persian and Greek Empires to Israel, with emphasis on the Gentile oppression of Israel. The final chapters deal with the end of this age, the period of the revived Roman Empire, and the deliverance of Israel.
This prophecy of Daniel was given to him in 553 B.C., and the prophecy of chapter nine was given in 538 B.C. “Then one of the saints, (angels), said, how long shall be the vision concerning the Daily Sacrifice, and the Transgression of Desolation?” “And he said, unto two thousand and three hundred days, (evening and morning), then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,” (Daniel 8:13-14). The 2300 days is God’s time for this oppressor to work, climaxing in “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
Daniel, in his vision, finds it necessary to portray the two horns representing the two major aspects of the Mede and Persians, and is very accurate, as the Persians comes up last and represents by the higher horn: the more prominent and powerful. There is no discrepancy between history, which records a series of battles, and Daniel’s representation that the Persian Empire fell with one blow.
Now we come to some questions. When was this to become a fact of history, and who was to be the oppressor that would do the treading down of the sanctuary and the host, and by whom and how was this cleansing done? To get the answers we must study the vision as given and explained in this chapter.
The eighth chapter of Daniel gives us an account of a vision seen by the prophet in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. Daniel finds it necessary to define in particular the location of this city: Shushan by the river Ulai (Daniel 8:1-2), which was to be the capital of Persia, the home of Esther, (Esther 1:2), and the city from which Nehemiah came to Jerusalem. This unusual setting described in detail by Daniel in the opening verses of the eighth chapter now become the stage on which a great drama is portrayed in symbol describing the conquests of the second and third empire.
This vision was given while Babylon was the major kingdom. But in this vision God started out with a preview of the history of the kings of Medes and Persia. This Ram represented the Medes-Persian Empire (Daniel 8:20). Daniel, in his vision, sees this Ram with two horns (Daniel 8:3-4), which are unequal, one higher than the other, and the higher one growing out of the Ram last. As Daniel watches, he sees the Ram pushing westward, northward, and southward; no other beast is found to stand before the Ram nor was anyone, whether man or beast, able to deliver from his power. The Persians coming up last and represented by the higher horn were also the more prominent and the most powerful. This pictures the main direction of conquest in spreading out his great dominion. The Medes at first, but many of the conquest were by the Persians, who established the largest Empire that the world had ever known.
The rough goat is the king, kingdom, of Grecian (Daniel 8:21), and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Nations rise and fall according to the will and decree of God, in this prophecy given in 553 B.C. Daniel is given a preview of the rise and conquest of the Grecian Empire under the leadership of Alexander the Great. “He touched not the Ground.” This pictures the speedy and complete conquests of Alexander’s army over the Ram as they advanced from the west taking all as they went. A furious and determined attack on the Ram is foretold here. “There was no power in the Ram to stand before him.” At the age of 24 years, in B.C. 331, Alexander was King of the Greatest Empire on earth at that time. Alexander’s conquest of the great Persian Empire was quick and complete and they were found no more.
The campaign of Alexander the Great, the first Grecian king to hold the scepter of universal empire, was so swift that the world still looks with amazement at the records of his bold raids. In B.C. 334, Alexander was only a little over twenty-one years old, invaded Persia and was victorious. One year later he held sway over all the Persian Empire. He goats came against the ram, and break his two horns (Daniel 8:5-7).
In B.C. 334, Alexander, when only a very young man invaded Persia and was victorious; thus became ruler of the then known world in the short space of six years. So rapid had been his triumphs and marches that, when he died in the year 323 B.C., after twelve years of conquest and tyranny, he left neither capital established nor a successor’s name. God foretold the death of Alexander and the Division of his Kingdom. In the height of his power, Alexander died at the age of 32. The empire fell apart, the great horn was broken (Daniel 8:8), and instead four monarchs rising out of the ruins came up. These four horns, or kingdoms, represent the same as the leopard in Daniel 7:6. These four kingdoms are counted as part of the Grecian Kingdom and history. The four heads of Daniel 7:6 were part of that beast, and the four horns of Daniel 8:8,22 were “four kingdoms” that were to stand up “out of the nations” of Grecian. The great horn between the eyes of the He Goat is broken just when the He Goat has reached the pinnacle of its strength; that horn was Alexander the Great. They, the four kings came up out of the “He Goat” to replace the ruler of that great horn, Alexander (Daniel 8:22).
The little horn came out of one of the divisions of Alexander’s kingdom after he died (Daniel 8:9-10). From one of the four kingdoms into which Alexander’s kingdom, Grecian, was divided, there would spring up this ambitious and persecuting power, and as this power answers so fully and accurately to the work of Antiochus Epiphanies, there can be no question as to the entirety of events brought out in Daniel’s vision. “A King of Fierce Countenance shall stand up.” This king or ruler was to stand up “in the latter time” of these four kingdoms. This Horn is a wicked ruler, coming into power.
This Horn, small in the beginning, was to grow exceeding great in three directions: toward the south, toward the east and toward the pleasant land. The “pleasant land” is referring to Jerusalem (Psalm 48: 2).
The land of Israel indeed became the battleground between Syria and Egypt, and the setting of some of Antiochus Epiphanies’ most significant blasphemous acts against God (Daniel 11:28), the host of heaven. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force (Daniel 11:25). He is pictured as “casting some of the Host and Stars to the ground and stamping upon them.” This prophecy relates to the persecution and destruction of the people of God with its defiance of the angelic host who are their protectors, including the Power of God Himself. Antiochus blasphemed God and heavenly power as well as persecuting the people of Israel, the people of God. This is all too evident from history. The Stars are intended to symbolize the faithful Israelites. This persecution and destruction of Jerusalem and the temple ended on Dec. 25, 168 B.C.
Antiochus opposition against God himself and to this extent magnified himself against God as well as reaching toward the glory and honor belonging to God. His supreme act manifesting this attitude is stated that he took away the daily offerings and desecrated the sanctuary (Daniel 8:11-12). Antiochus stopped the morning and evening sacrifice, taking away from God what were a daily token of Israel’s worship; all the offerings customarily offered in the temple services had ceased. The people of Israel were under his power with divine permission. All this happened to Israel because of their sin and transgression and because they had departed from the God of their fathers. The people of Israel along with their worship are given over to the power of Antiochus Epiphanies with the resulting transgression and blasphemy against God.
The Host being trodden down here are the Jewish people, and the “sanctuary” that was trodden “under foot” was a place set apart. The tabernacle and later the temple at Jerusalem was God’s sanctuary, as the scriptures clearly teaches. To Daniel the “sanctuary” meant the Temple in Jerusalem. He would understand that the sanctuary trodden under foot and to be cleansed was that same temple and its services. And how long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice? It would be 2300 days (Daniel 8:13-14).
With the entire vision recorded and, to some extent, already interpreted, Daniel now enters into active participation in the vision and sought for the meaning; and in response to his desire, a personage stood before him described “as the appearance of a man,” but obviously an angel. The angel Gabriel is mentioned specifically (Luke 1:19), and a man’s voice is addressed to Gabriel to instruct Daniel in understanding the vision. The man’s voice may be that of Christ. Daniel is afraid, and falls on his face. The words of Gabriel are reassuring, and he instructs Daniel, using the title “Son of Man,” and then Gabriel made known to Daniel when this indignation, righteous anger, would come to an end (Daniel 8:15-19). God, in His righteous anger was using for His corrective purposes the tyranny of Antiochus the Syrian king in the chastening of Israel. Gabriel made Daniel stand up and begin a further explanation concerning the time of the end, making clear his intention to let Daniel know “what shall be in the last end of the indignation.”
The Ram is in fact Media and Persia that are regarded as one empire. The He Goat described as “rough” or shaggy; called “the king of Grecian,” is an obvious reference to the kingdom as a whole, as the great horn between its eyes is identified as the first king, “Alexander the Great” (Daniel 8:20-22). The four kingdoms represented by the four horns replaced the great horn that was broken is identified as four kingdoms arising from the nation of Greece. They are described as not having the power of the great horn.
Antiochus Epiphanies fulfilled every detail of the prophecy of the Little Horn, or king of fierce countenance and his works of a ruthless king in Jerusalem and Judea (Daniel 8:23-24). Antiochus 1V of Syria in Judea felt himself frustrated by the strong national feeling of the people and especially by the Jewish religion. So, in 168 B.C., he ordered the Jews to denounce their worship for that of the Greeks, and he even dedicated to Zeus the holy temple, which Solomon had built to Jehovah.
They were forced under penalty of death to offer swine’s flesh in sacrifice to the heathen Greek gods. The Jews were forbidden to circumcise their children under a death penalty. Some obeyed out of fear, while many refused and were murdered. Antiochus did tread down the host, or Jewish people, in his attempt to destroy the worship of Jehovah and make the Jews worship other Greek gods. All of this lasted a little over three years and being most severe while it lasted.
With two sacrifices a day, one in the evening and one in the morning, they would make 2,300 sacrifices, making a total of 1,150 days, then the sacrifices would cease, “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” “He shall be broken without hands.” This was fulfilled too. God smote him and he died of a disease after the defeat of his army in Judea.
This led to a revolt under the Maccabees and after much suffering Antiochus’ army was defeated, and the sanctuary, or temple, cleansed. True worship was restored in the temple. All was repaired and cleansed, a new alter was built, gates, doors, courts, chambers were renewed, and new vessels were finished, and on Dec. 25, 165 B.C. the temple was once more dedicated to the service of the God of Israel. This memorable date became a national holiday ever after, known in Christ’s time as the Feast of Dedication, but today is now called the Feast of Lights or Hanukkah.
The emphasis of the eighth chapter of Daniel is on prophecy as it relates to Israel; and for this reason the little horn is given prominence both in the vision and in the interpretation. I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it (Daniel 8:27).
The times of the Gentiles, although not entirely a period of persecution of Israel, often resulted in a great trial to them. Of the four great world empires anticipated by Daniel, only the Persian Empire was relatively kind to the Jews. Gabriel made it plain that the vision will not become immediately understandable to Daniel and that its fulfillment will occupy many days. King Nebuchadnezzar made him (Daniel) ruler over the whole province of Babylon (Daniel 2:48).